u/benditlikebemb

Is 62% indoor humidity something to worry about, or just a side effect of the AC not kicking on right now?

I’ve been monitoring my Nest app for my sister to keep it out of Away mode while I’m out of town and she’s house sitting. I have the AC set to 75, but it hasn’t kicked on in a week due to low temps outside. But I noticed today the indoor humidity is 62%, which seems high. According to the weather app, the temp there is 67 with 94% humidity (getting slammed with residual rain from the hurricane). Is this just because the AC isn’t kicking on? Would her opening windows help? I just don’t want mold to grow or anything

Not sure if this is the group for this question, and I'm also pretty sure I'm just being neurotic and crazy...but any insight anyone can provide is appreciated!

I own a townhouse with a finished basement featuring carpet. Walking around barefoot last night, there were some spots near the chaise that felt slightly wet. But then when I touched with my hand, it just felt maybe cold? Did the paper test (laid a piece of toilet paper on the floor with a heavy object on top) and came back completely dry after 20 minutes or so.

Then, I stupidly pulled out my moisture meter. Spots around my chaise and center of the floor were coming back reading very high on the meter. Freaked out thinking there was a leak somewhere, but the readings aren't high as I move closer to the walls. Some medium readings, but you would think if there was a leak, it would be higher at the wall and lesson as you moved away.

After thinking and rationalizing, I realized the areas I was testing were where my dog has had.....previous issues. Months of incontinence before we discovered that was what was going on and getting on medication, a couple UTIs, and a bought of explosive diarrhea following teeth extractions and subsequent medications. Admittedly, there are some spots where she urinated that weren't cleaned the best and have a faint smell if you get real close and sniff.

All of this to ask: is there something in dog urine and cleaning products that could be left behind and cause a moisture meter to read high when there's no other obvious signs of moisture?

After 20+ years, we were just notified yesterday the lot we've always parked and tailgated on off Ostend street has lost access to the upper portion where we normally park. Gone are the parking permits for the entire season. All they'll be able to offer is game-by-game, cramped parking on the lower grass lot with no tailgating permitted.

Are there other lots out there that function the same way? Or do we need to contact a PSL rep with the Ravens? Any insight or advice anyone might have is greatly appreciated

After trying all the exterior fixes and failing, I caved and started the process of getting quotes from companies for how to address and fix the moisture intrusion I have going on in my crawlspace. Roughly 7 feet wide, both offered the same solution: jackhammer down, put in a drain to divert to sump pump, drill two weep holes into each foundation block, seal it back up. What differed wildly was the pricing and I can't tell if one is too good to be true and suspicious, or if the other is just a large company overcharging

Company 1: lifetime warranty on the work. I didn't see anything on their website about being licensed and insured, but I imagine they'd have to be to serve multiple states? Minimum pricing for a certain amount of feet (can't remember the number), so he recommended doing the entire front wall. This would require taking out drywall because my basement is finished. They would not replace the drywall, I'd have to do it myself (which I now know how to do). The price also included replacing my metal, rusting sump pump pit with the new industry standard plastic. Unsure if I can get that excluded from the work/price. He also wanted to replace my sump pump, but I told him that wasn't necessary because the current one is only 4 years old and doesn't go off much. $4250 total, but he said he'd talk to his boss today to see if they could come down in price to just do the crawlspace

Company 2: again, lifetime warranty. Licensed and insured. for just the crawlspace, $750. he doesn't think it's necessary to do the full wall. extra $100 for sump pump liner.

Both come recommended from people in my community who have used them. The wildly different prices just feels too good to be true for Company 2......and I don't have the best of luck. Is this just a classic case of big conglomerate vs small local guy?

I know how they generally work: catch ground water, feed into basin, ball rises, expels water to my street.

What I'm more so wondering, is how and where it catches water? I ask because I'm wondering if mine is actually working as it should.....or hoping it isn't because that's a much easier resolution to my moisture intrusion problem.

My sump pump has 3 entry points. One I know for a fact is where my AC line drains into (not sure if that's the technical term). Based on material and location, I assume the one below the AC would be for catching and draining water from the backyard, and the one opposite those would be for the front yard. The thing is, those two black pipes always seem to be bone dry and the only real water accumulation to trigger the valve is from the AC. I've never actually looked in the sump pit after or during rain, that's something I can do over the next couple of days.

Are sump pumps meant to catch general ground moisture that happens everyday? I ask all of this to educate myself, but also because I've been battling some moisture intrusion in my crawlspace. Downspouts are extended, I filled some cracks on my front landing where water may have been sneaking in, and added new soil to the front garden bed. One or all of these fixed one spot, but there's another that won't dry. And it hasn't rained in days.

Sorry to ramble. I'm just hoping for a fix that doesn't involve costly waterproofing and drainage additions.

TLDR; how do sump pumps catch water and could mine be faulty and causing minor water intrusion